Dr. Shannon M. Clark, MD, FACOG

If something is recommended, it should be explained to the patient. The most important thing is a good maternal and fetal neonatal outcome, whatever that looks like. If a cesarean section is needed, that's what's needed. If pitocin augmentation is needed, that's what's needed. I've talked about this on my platform.

If something is recommended, it should be explained to the patient. The most important thing is a good maternal and fetal neonatal outcome, whatever that looks like. If a cesarean section is needed, that's what's needed. If pitocin augmentation is needed, that's what's needed. I've talked about this on my platform.

I actually even made a video in response to one of the episodes for this season about physiological birth and what that means. I wish we could say physiological birth is X, Y, and Z, but we simply cannot. So it can look a lot of different ways.

I actually even made a video in response to one of the episodes for this season about physiological birth and what that means. I wish we could say physiological birth is X, Y, and Z, but we simply cannot. So it can look a lot of different ways.

I actually even made a video in response to one of the episodes for this season about physiological birth and what that means. I wish we could say physiological birth is X, Y, and Z, but we simply cannot. So it can look a lot of different ways.

And so I don't want anyone who's listening to this podcast think that there is one way to have a physiological birth and that's it because it's simply not true.

And so I don't want anyone who's listening to this podcast think that there is one way to have a physiological birth and that's it because it's simply not true.

And so I don't want anyone who's listening to this podcast think that there is one way to have a physiological birth and that's it because it's simply not true.

No, that should not happen. Keep in mind how I work. I don't have my own patients. I have them for the time that they're here, either admitted antepartum or they're delivering in a postpartum. I don't have my own patient schedule, but I've had patients who have reached out to me on social media and I don't respond because it's inappropriate.

No, that should not happen. Keep in mind how I work. I don't have my own patients. I have them for the time that they're here, either admitted antepartum or they're delivering in a postpartum. I don't have my own patient schedule, but I've had patients who have reached out to me on social media and I don't respond because it's inappropriate.

No, that should not happen. Keep in mind how I work. I don't have my own patients. I have them for the time that they're here, either admitted antepartum or they're delivering in a postpartum. I don't have my own patient schedule, but I've had patients who have reached out to me on social media and I don't respond because it's inappropriate.

I feel like there is this thought or feeling both on some providers and also on patients that we are supposed to be friends. I'm not your friend. Can I be friendly to you? Absolutely. Can I be cordial? Can I be respectful? Can I be empathetic? Yes. But being friends and being on that kind of level is not appropriate because you will lose your objectivity in order to take care of that patient.

I feel like there is this thought or feeling both on some providers and also on patients that we are supposed to be friends. I'm not your friend. Can I be friendly to you? Absolutely. Can I be cordial? Can I be respectful? Can I be empathetic? Yes. But being friends and being on that kind of level is not appropriate because you will lose your objectivity in order to take care of that patient.

I feel like there is this thought or feeling both on some providers and also on patients that we are supposed to be friends. I'm not your friend. Can I be friendly to you? Absolutely. Can I be cordial? Can I be respectful? Can I be empathetic? Yes. But being friends and being on that kind of level is not appropriate because you will lose your objectivity in order to take care of that patient.

And that cannot happen. And it's an expectation sometimes on the provider's part and on the patient's part. Just remember, you want your doctor or your provider to always be objective and do what standard of care is based on what's indicated for you and not because they're friendly with you and they know your family or you guys just had lunch or you guys are friends on social media.

And that cannot happen. And it's an expectation sometimes on the provider's part and on the patient's part. Just remember, you want your doctor or your provider to always be objective and do what standard of care is based on what's indicated for you and not because they're friendly with you and they know your family or you guys just had lunch or you guys are friends on social media.

And that cannot happen. And it's an expectation sometimes on the provider's part and on the patient's part. Just remember, you want your doctor or your provider to always be objective and do what standard of care is based on what's indicated for you and not because they're friendly with you and they know your family or you guys just had lunch or you guys are friends on social media.

That's not how it's supposed to be. And it shouldn't be that way. I hope that doesn't make me sound like I'm not being a nice person, but there is a line that can be crossed.

That's not how it's supposed to be. And it shouldn't be that way. I hope that doesn't make me sound like I'm not being a nice person, but there is a line that can be crossed.

That's not how it's supposed to be. And it shouldn't be that way. I hope that doesn't make me sound like I'm not being a nice person, but there is a line that can be crossed.